Oregon Institute of Technology Athletics

COMING UP: at Simpson, Saturday, 9:30 a.m.; vs. Menlo (at SU), Saturday, 11:30 a.m.; at Simpson (DH), Sunday, 11 a.m.

COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK
 
WATCH LIVE / LIVE STATS: Both doubleheaders in Redding will be streamed online through Simpson's Stretch Internet Portal. Live Stats of all four games will be available through OIT's SIDEARM Sports Portal.
 
SPLITSVILLE IN ARIZONA: The Lady Owls opened the 2023 season the first week of February, playing three doubleheaders in Arizona – with the team splitting each of the three twinbills. OIT hit well throughout the week, roping 21 extra base hits and batting at a .320 clip, while recording a 1.89 ERA. Tech recorded two wins by 5-or-more runs, added a wild seventh inning rally for another, with all three losses coming by two runs or less.
 
SOLID IN THE CIRCLE: Starting pitching was key in the Phoenix metro, as senior Mckenzie Staub and junior Kacie Schmidt logged quality appearances. Staub threw 16.1 innings over the course of the week, posting a 1.71 ERA – including her fifth career shutout, blanking Embry-Riddle, 5-0. Schmidt pitched 15.1 innings, recording a 2.74 ERA and led the staff with 18 strikeouts – including a career-high 10 strikeouts in a win over OUAZ. Jenna Gorden provided solid relief, making three appearances, surrendering just three hits and six-plus innings, without allowing an earned run.
 
SOPHOMORES SHINE IN THE DESERT: The tandem of Zoe Allen and Jayce Seavert were key to the Lady Owls success in Arizona, as the sophomores put up outstanding numbers. Allen was 8-for-21 at the plate – leading the team in hits – adding five runs scored and three stolen bases. Seavert paced the team with a .520 on-base percentage, going 7-for-19 with three doubles and three stolen bases.
 
UPPERCLASSMEN HAVE QUALITY TRIP: Tech got key production on the road swing from seniors Maggie Buckholz and Maddie DeVerna, along with juniors Kaila Mick and Lexi Klum, all helping the Lady Owls offensive attack. Buckholz had three doubles and three RBI, going 6-for-18 at the plate, with DeVerna posting a .500 on base percentage, going 3-for-9 with five runs scored. Mick had a team leading five doubles (tops in the conference) and posted 21 defensive chances without an error, with Klum going 6-for-20 with a league best three triples and three RBI.
 
FRESHMEN IN THE LINEUP: Three true freshmen started all six games in Arizona – jumping right into their first college softball action. Addison Kachnik finished the trip 8-for-21 at the plate with four runs scored and four RBI; Nita Cook was 4-for-16 with three RBI; with Puakea Milbourne recording five hits and 34 defensive chances without an error.
 
DEFENSE STELLAR: A year after setting a school record for fielding percentage, the Lady Owls picked up right where they left off in 2022. OIT posted a .982 fielding percentage during the Arizona trip – committing three errors in 163 defensive chances. Tech also minimized the opponents' running game, as the three teams combined to steal two bases on four attempts.
 
REDDING BOUND: Tech will head to a familiar place this weekend, traveling to Redding, Calif., for three games against Simpson and a counter against Menlo. It marks the 17th time in the last 18 seasons that OIT trekked to the Sacramento River Valley – as the 2021 season was the only time since 2006 that the Owls didn't play in Shasta County.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – SIMPSON: OIT will meet regional rival Simpson three times over the weekend, with the Redhawks (6-3) returning home after an outstanding trip to Texas – earning victories over Texas Wesleyan, SAGU and No. 3-ranked Science & Arts. The SU attack was paced by shortstop Isabella Munoz (.400 1 HR 3 RBI) and the outfield tandem of Aubrey Zamora (.250 2 HR 7 RBI) and Amy Legrande (.429 0 HR 5 RBI), with pitchers Kylee Potes (1-1 1.37 ERA, 20 K) and Jessica Ulshoeffer (2-0 2.68) the top arms. The Owls hold a 35-16 series lead, including a 19-14 edge in Redding.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – MENLO: The Lady Owls will play a Saturday single-game against Menlo, as the Oaks (2-6) have victories this season against both Corban and Antelope Valley. Offensively, the Bay Area squad is led by first-baseman Grace Christian (.500 1 HR 5 RBI), second-baseman Jolena Velasquez (.333 0 HR 2 RBI) and outfielder Haley Roloff (.364 0 HR 2 RBI), with pitchers Ayanna Rubio (1-1 5.86 ERA) and Brianna Gonzalez (1-0 1.56 ERA, 1 save) sharing time in the circle. The two teams have met 65 previous
 
TECH PICKED TO WIN CCC, RANKED NO. 7: Coming off a Cascade Conference regular-season title, a CCC Tournament title and a trip to the NAIA Softball World Series, the Lady Owls were the odds-on favorite to win the 2023 CCC crown – claiming the top spot in the CCC Preseason Coaches' Poll. OIT received six first-place votes and finished just ahead of Southern Oregon, College of Idaho and Eastern Oregon in the balloting – with all four teams ranked in the NAIA Preseason Top-25 Poll – Tech at No. 7, SOU at No. 10, C of I at No. 13 and EOU at No. 19. In all, the Owls will play 18 of the 50 scheduled games in 2023 against teams ranked or receiving votes in the preseason poll.
 
HOME SWEET HOME: Tech will open their 20-game home schedule on Feb. 24, hosting Corban in a 4-game series – with Carroll, Warner Pacific, Eastern Oregon and British Columbia making 2023 appearances in the Basin. Since the opening of John & Lois Stilwell Stadium in March of 2019, OIT has a 53-11 all-time record in the facility. Last year, the Lady Owls were near unbeatable, going 23-2 on their own diamond, the most home wins in a single-season in program history.
 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: College of Idaho has dominated the preseason, finishing a perfect 10-0, while posting a miniscule 1.13 ERA. Eastern Oregon is 4-0 after doubleheader sweeps of Willamette and Pacific, with Northwest going 4-1 on a recent trip to Texas – including a win over a Top-25 Columbia squad. This week, Southern Oregon joins OIT at Simpson, EOU and Northwest are off to play Jessup and Hope International, British Columbia travels for games in Southern California, while Providence and Carroll travel to Minot State for a bubble tournament.
 
AMONG THE BEST: In his 19th season at the helm, head coach Greg Stewart ranks No. 16 among active NAIA coaches with 648 career wins and is one of 18 active NAIA coaches with 600-or-more career victories. Stewart, the 8-time CCC Coach of the Year, ranks No. 18 on the all-time NAIA wins list.
 
NEARING 1,200 WINS: The Lady Owls are on pace to reach a team milestone in 2023, as the squad looks to surpass the 1,200-win mark in program history. Tech heads into the weekend with an all-time record of 1,188-636-2 – winning 65-percent of their 1,826 all-time games, including a 71-percent win percentage under current head coach, Greg Stewart.
 
RECORD BOOK: Six members of the Lady Owls currently rank among the Top-25 in the OIT career record book, led by Mckenzie Staub, who is No. 8 in wins (38), No. 11 in pitching strikeouts (225), No. 12 in pitching games started (49), No. 13 in pitching appearances (61), No. 14 in complete games (19), No. 15 in innings pitched (272.1) and in shutouts (5), ranking No. 22 in hit-by-pitches as a batter (9). Kaila Mick ranks No. 4 in triples (11), No. 5 in hit-by-pitches (22), No. 7 in stolen bases (38), No. 16 in runs scored (122) and in defensive assists (205), No. 20 in sacrifice hits (10) and No. 25 in both doubles (30) and hits (162); Maggie Buckholz ranks No. 18 in walks (47) and No. 24 in home runs; Jayce Seavert ranks No. 3 in hit-by-pitches (26) and No. 11 in sacrifice flies (7); with Jensen Becker No. 19 in triples (5) and Lexi Klum No. 23 in triples (4).
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Lady Owls open the Cascade Conference season next weekend, hosting Corban University in a 4-game series at Stilwell Stadium. The first three games of all CCC series will be league counters, with Game 4 of the set a non-conference match-up.